Brunson, Bridges help the Knicks to a 124-122 win against the Nets in Cup

The New York Knicks held on for a nail-biting 124-122 win over the Brooklyn Nets in NBA Cup action, thanks to a clutch three-pointer from Jalen Brunson in the closing seconds. Brunson’s heroics saved the Knicks from what could have been a devastating collapse, and Mikal Bridges sealed the deal by blocking Dennis Schroder’s layup attempt as time expired.

With just 1:34 to play, the Knicks were up 121-117, but Dennis Schroder brought Brooklyn roaring back. He hit two free throws, then nailed a three-pointer to give the Nets their first lead since the first quarter. It was a shocking turn of events, but Brunson wasn’t about to let the game slip away.

He proved that redemption is sweet. Just a couple of nights after missing a game-winner against the Bulls, Brunson found himself in a similar situation against the Nets. With the Knicks trailing in the final seconds, Brunson took control. He calmly received the ball, let a few seconds tick away, then launched a three-pointer over Dorian Finney-Smith. This time, there was no heartbreak—the shot was pure, giving the Knicks the lead and setting up a dramatic finish.

The Nets, out of timeouts, quickly turned to Dennis Schroder, who raced down the court with a chance to save the game. Schroder attacked the hoop, slipping past Bridges and putting up a layup that looked destined to force overtime. But Bridges wasn’t done. With his incredible length and timing, he swatted the ball from behind as the buzzer sounded, sealing the Knicks’ thrilling 124-122 victory.

“That’s sort of the nature of the league. That disappointment and then to bounce back to find a way to win at the end speaks volumes to who he is. To have the resolve to take that shot and make that shot. To have the courage to do it again, it says a lot about the team.”

 – Tom Thibodeau

This one wasn’t easy for the Knicks, who were without Karl-Anthony Towns, resting after a minor knee bump in the previous game. They still looked dominant for most of the night, building a 98-77 lead late in the third quarter.

But things unraveled in the fourth, where the Nets flipped the script, outscoring the Knicks 16-4 to open the final frame. Cam Thomas and Cameron Johnson led the charge, combining for 22 points in the quarter as the Nets erased a 21-point deficit.

Brunson was electric all night, finishing with 37 points and 7 assists. OG Anunoby added 25 points on 10-17 shooting, though he struggled from deep (1-8). Bridges chipped in 22 against his former team, while Josh Hart had 14.

Coach Tom Thibodeau leaned on a nine-man rotation in the absence of Towns and Miles McBride, giving valuable minutes to Ariel Hukporti and Cameron Payne. Hukporti impressed with 7 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 assists in 30 minutes, while Payne scored 10 off the bench in 19 minutes of action.

The Knicks were dominant in the paint, outscoring the Nets 46-28, and they controlled the boards with a 45-37 rebounding edge. Still, the Nets nearly stole it behind a scorching night from Cam Thomas, who poured in a game-high 43 points. Johnson added 17, and Schroder chipped in 14, though the latter two struggled from the field, combining for just 7-27 shooting. Their free-throw perfection (14-14) helped keep the Nets alive until the bitter end.

With this gritty win, the Knicks improved to 6-6 on the season and stayed undefeated in the NBA Cup at 2-0. It wasn’t pretty, but it showed their resilience—and in the NBA Cup standings, that’s all that matters.